USCIRF Commissioner presents IAMC’s inaugural Religious Freedom awards to Ambassador Sam Brownback and Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett at IRF Summit

Washington, D.C. (February 4, 2026) – Commissioner Stephen Schneck of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) presented the Indian American Muslim Council’s inaugural religious champion award to two leading human rights advocates in the U.S., Sam Brownback, former US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, and Katrina Lantos Swett, former USCIRF chair and President of the Lantos Foundation and former USCIRF Chair.

 

The award was presented during the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit, the world’s largest assembly on religious freedom. IAMC’s award recognizes Ambassador Browback and Dr. Lantos Swett for their principled leadership in championing religious freedom in India and steadfast defense of the rights and dignity of persecuted religious communities.

 

 

“Religious nationalism… is something that has been of much interest in the recent work of the Indian-American Muslim Council,” said Commissioner Schneck at the event. “The persecution that’s experienced by Muslims in India today is a persecution that’s driven in large part by a version of religious nationalism… I’m pleased to honor the work of this fine organization.”

 

“I love India. I’m sure everybody in the room loves India,” said Ambassador Brownback. On rising anti-minority violence amid rising Hindu supremacy, he added, “You cry when you see it happening. You’re going, ‘No, don’t do this. It never works. It’s never worked anywhere. It won’t work now’… light is often an antidote, so I’m glad you’re putting a light on these things.”

 

“It really does break our heart,” Dr. Lantos Swett said on backsliding religious freedoms in India. “This is not a situation where anyone feels anything other than regret and sorrow and concern to see India moving so far from what should be the prevailing ethic of that society.”

 

Dr. Lantos Swett added, “I very much admire and I’m grateful for the amazing work of IAMC and for the spirit that you bring to your work. You really do embody the very best of what India should be.”

 

The ceremony was also attended by former USCIRF commissioner David Curry and current USCIRF commissioner Rachel Laser. The event concluded with the release of IAMC’s 2026 Annual Report.

 

 

For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com